The staggeringly fabulous cover for CE Murphy's upcoming BONE & BLOOD, a retelling of "Snow White, Rose Red" features two women standing back to back: one is garbed all in blood red, with dark red hair and a black mask; the other wears flowing white, with wheat-pale hair and a glittering mask. Cover art & design by Ravven. Preorder at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXFPLQWY/?tag=mizkit-20
The next image is a parchment-colored paper with golden roses along one side, and the first part of the text reads:
There is a story of a widow woman and her two daughters, Snow White and Rose Red, who were the most perfect and darling little girls who had ever lived.
This is not—quite—that story.
In time, people will lose their fear of the forests, but this is not yet that time; this is not yet that place. Not with the enchanted Beast at its heart still living there; not with that heart being the forest itself, embodied, living, aware.
But not aware enough for old Widow Adele, who is only called old because she is a widow, and who is only a widow because something had to be done about her husband. The living forest did nothing, but the forest had a sister, white-haired and jewel-eyed, who lived in the
village, and who was known to be a witch. The witch was wedded to Lucinda, a good girl, and so when the Widow Adele could bear her husband no longer, she spoke to Lucy, and in a little while the witch, called Pearl, came to visit.
He would forbid the witch's presence in their home; he would forbid anyone's presence, though better to have visitors than let Adele go into the village. Within the shadows of their dark little cottage, bruises could not easily be seen, and broken bones could be blamed on uneven floors or a clumsy woman leaving the broom where she oughtn't.
A page of teaser text, framed by golden roses. The remainder of the text, which begins on the previous image, reads:
But a witch could see what a man might not. Even in the dim light that shone through the cottage's shuttered windows, the witch's eyes glittered dangerous green and her flawless mouth curved a faultless, merciless smile. "You have no children," Pearl said.
Hope fired in Adele's heart, burning her hollow as she nodded, and the fire did not bank when regret twisted Pearl's lips. "I'm sorry. A child is beyond my power. But a tea to increase your husband's vigor is within it."
Adele stared, bleak and aching. "He doesn't lack vigor, lady."
"No," Pearl replied, gently now, and gentleness from her icy pale gaze was like a knife cutting deep, leaving no mark. "No, I can see he doesn't. But the tea will increase it to apoplexy." She passed her hand across the rough-cut kitchen table, leaving a packet behind. "It tastes of blackberry, and needs a few drops of honey to sweeten it enough for him to
drink it all at once. It will be most potent for the next few days, so I wouldn't waste any time."
She rose, all languid grace, and her crossing of the threshold was like the moon's light fading, leaving Adele in darkness. Adele jerked to her feet, the packet clutched against her chest as she bolted for the door and cried, "Witch!"
The witch turned back, white eyebrows lifted, and Adele faltered apologetically. "Pearl." The name was hardly a whisper, the only kind of forgiveness she dared ask for. Pearl waited, and Adele gathered her courage. "The tea. Is it magic?"
"No, my dear," Pearl said, still gently. "It's poison."
BONE & BLOOD, my latest retold fairy tale, will be available in just a few weeks! Preorder at www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXFPLQW...
The alt text for the teaser text image is spread across both images bc it was too long for just one. Sorry about that! <3 #booksky #preorders #fantasy #romance #FairyTales